Firearms Control and Injury Prevention: The gun registry is a good investment Positive impact of the law Stronger measures work

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1 GUNCONTROLANDTHELONGGUNREGISTRY STATEMENTFROMCANADIANHEALTHORGANIZATIONS April 2010 FirearmsControlandInjuryPrevention:Thegunregistryisagoodinvestment Therecentdiscussionsurroundingguncontrolhastendedtofocusontheproblemsofurbanviolence, gangs,andhandguns.thishoweverignoresthefactthatmostfirearmdeathsincanadaaresuicidesand thegunsmostoftenusedareriflesandshotguns. Over the years, members of the health community have fought for stronger controls on firearms becauseofthestaggeringburdenofpreventablegundeathandinjury:almost1400canadiansdiedof gunshots in 1991, close to half the number killed in automobile crashes. The vast majority of firearm deathsincanadaarenotgangrelatedbutoccurwhenanordinarycitizenbecomessuicidalorviolent, oftenundertheinfluenceofalcoholordrugs,orduringapersonalcrisissuchasmaritalbreakdownor jobloss.whenfirearmsareavailable,domestichomicidesaremorelikelytoinvolvemultiplevictimsand endinsuicide. Whileitistruethattherearemoregunsinruralareas,andthereforemoreoppositiontoguncontrol,it isequallytruethattherearehigherratesofgundeathsinruralcommunitiesandwesternprovinces. The Yukon, a hotbed of opposition to gun control, has a firearm death rate that is three times the nationalaverage.infact,inspiteofallthefocusonurbancriminalgangs,policeofficersaremostatrisk inruralcommunities. Positiveimpactofthelaw We are therefore encouraged to see positive results since the latest waves of legislative reforms. In 2005,therewere818firearmsrelateddeathsinCanada.Thisrepresentsanastonishingdecreaseof43% ofallgundeathssince Notsurprisingly,theareaswherewehaveseenthegreatestprogressareinthedeathsassociatedwith rifles and shotguns weapons that have been subject to most of the new measure (handguns have beenregisteredsincethe1930s).forexample,mostcasesofsuicideswithfirearmsamong1535years oldsinvolvefirearmsthatwereeasilyaccessibleinthehome.thesehavedecreasedby64%innineyears (from329in1995to121in2005) 2 withnoevidenceofsubstitutionwithothermethods. 3 Alongwith murderscommittedbyriflesandshotguns,murdersofwomenwithfirearmsaswellaslethalgunrelated accidents(mostofwhichinvolvelongguns)havedeclinedmorerapidlythanothertypesoffatalinjuries. Incontrast,homicideswithhandguns,fuelledinpartbytheillegaltrade,haveremainedrelativelystable. Strongermeasureswork This impressive reduction in gun deaths is no doubt due to stronger gun control measures. For one, screeningandrenewablelicensesforgunownershipreducetheriskthatdangerousorsuicidalpeople willgetaccesstofirearms.todatemorethan2milliongunownershavebeenlicensed.licensing and frequentlyrenewingthelicences isacriticalcomponenttoassessingpotentialrisks.infact,therehave been22,523licensesrefusedorrevokedbetween1999and2008fromindividualsdeemedapotential risktothemselvesortoothers 4. Licensing and registration work hand in hand to keep legal guns in the hands of legal gun owners. Becauseitallowsgunstobetracedbacktotheirlastlegalowner,registrationhelpspreventillegalsales orstrawpurchasestounlicensed(andpotentiallydangerous)individuals.licensedgunownersarealso

2 2 morelikelytosafelystoretheirfirearmsiftheyknowtheirnameisattachedtoeachgun.studieshave shownthatintheus,stateswithbothlicensingandregistration(versusoneortheother)hadfewer gunsdivertedfromlegaltoillegalmarkets. 5 Italsohelpspolicewiththetemporarilyremovaloffirearms in households where there may be a risk for suicide or violence. This is why the Supreme Court maintained that the registration component is critical to enforcing licensing provisions and cannot be severedfromthesystem 6.Moreover,registrationisaonetimeonlygesture.The7milliongunswhich havebeenregistereddonothavetoberegisteredagainunlesstheyaretradedorsold. Worthyinvestment Theopponentsoftheregistryhavedeliberatelymisrepresentedthecosts.Itistrue,toomuchmoney wasspentsettingupthesystem.butatthispointthesavingsthatwouldbeobtainedfromdismantling theregistryarelessthan$3millionayear.thisisatrivialamountconsideringthatthesystemisusedby policethousandsoftimeseachday.thissmallinvestmentisdwarfedbyeconomicbenefitsofreducing gundeathandinjury,estimatedatnearly$1.4billionannually. 7 Preventionisapriority Healthorganizationshavefoughttopassimprovementstothelawin1991aswellasin Scientific researchshowsthatprogressivecontrolsonfirearmshaveresultedinareductioninfirearmdeathand injury. Canada s law has been cited as a model of effective legislation worldwide, particularly in combating violence against women. It is also consistent with global norms including the recently announced European Firearms Directive which establishes uniform standards for all European Union countriesandincludestheregistrationofallfirearms. Ashealthprofessionals,weknowtheimportanceofinvestinginprevention,whetherinroadsafetyor prevention of infectious diseases. It is true that one cannot easily measure prevention, but we can certainlymeasuretheeffectsofignoringit.sixdifferentcoroner sinquestsrecommendedthelicensing ofgunownersandregistrationofallfirearms.indeed,ourdailypracticeinformsusoftheveryrealrisks associatedwithfirearmsandofthevalueofastrongguncontrollaw. ThatiswhywemustspeakoutagainstBillC391,theprivatemember sbillcurrentlybeforethehouseof Commonswhichaimstoabolishthelonggunregistry. Signedby: GROUPS(28): JeanYvesFrappier,MD,FRCPC,MSc President CanadianAssociationforAdolescentHealth ChrisEvans,MD President CanadianAssociationofEmergencyPhysicians Ms.LindaSilas President CanadianFederationofNursesUnions Dr.RobertCushman ChiefExecutiveOfficer ChamplainLocalHealthIntegrationNetwork MarieAdèleDavis ExecutiveDirector CanadianPaediatricSociety Ms.DebraLynkowski ChiefExecutiveOfficer CanadianPublicHealthAssociation CarolTimmings President OntarioPublicHealthAssociation DrDaleDewar,MD,FCFP ExecutiveDirector PhysiciansforGlobalSurvival

3 3 DrGenevièveBécotte,MD,CCMF(MU) President QuebecAssociationofEmergencyPhysicians BrunoMarchand ExecutiveDirector QuebecAssociationforsuicideprevention LucieThibodeau President QuebecPublicHealthAssociation Dr.DavidMcKeown MedicalOfficerofHealth TorontoPublicHealth ElizabethTaylor,PhDOT(C) President CanadianAssociationofOccupationalTherapists DrJeanFrançoisDorval,MD,LMCC Spokespersononguncontrol RegionalStrategyCommitteeforActiononSuicide ofbasstlaurent QuebecPublicHealthDepartments(14): DrRéalLacombe Directeurdesantépublique Directiondesantépubliqued'Abitibi Témiscamingue DrRobertMaguire Directeurdesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliqueduBasStLaurent DrFrançoisDesbiens,MD,MPH,FRCPC Directeurdesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliquedelaCapitale Nationale DrReynaldCloutier Directeurdesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliquedelaCôteNord DrLouiseSoulière Directricedesantépublique Directiondesantépubliquedel'Estrie DrChristianBernier Directeurdesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliquedelaGaspésieÎlesde lamadeleine DrJeanPierreTrépanier,MD,MSc,FRCPC Directeurdesantépubliqueetd'évaluation DirectiondesantépubliquedeLanaudière DrBlandinePiquetGauthier,M.D.,M.Sc.,FRCPC Directricedesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliquedesLaurentides DirectiondesantépubliqueduNordduQuébec Dr.NicoleDamestoy Directricedesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliquedeLaval DrGillesW.Grenier Directeurdesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliquedelaMauricieCentre duquébec DrJocelyneSauvé,M.D.,FRCPC Directricedesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliquedelaMontérégie DrRichardLessard Directeurdesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliquedeMontréal DrHélèneDupontM.D. Directricedesantépublique Directiondesantépubliquedel'Outaouais DrDonaldAubin Directeurdesantépublique DirectiondesantépubliqueduSaguenayLacSaint Jean INDIVIDUALS(33): DrNeilArya Director,OfficeofGlobalHealth SchulichSchoolofMedicine&Dentistry SuzelleBeaulieu Agentederelationhumaine CSSSdeMatane(CLSC) SergeBélanger Directeur TrajectoireshommesduKamouraska Rivièredu Loup Temiscouata LesBasques DrBrunoBernardin,MD Médecind'urgence HôpitalgénéraldeMontréal

4 4 AndréBoudreau Directeur CTAC(ContreTouteAgressionConjugale) DrRonCharach,MD,FRCP Psychiatrist AuthorofCowboys&BleedingHearts,Essayson Violence,HealthandIdentity NathalieClavette Directricedesprogrammessantémentale, dépendancesetjeunesendifficulté CSSSduTémiscouata DrGeorgesDesrosiers Professeurémérite Départementdemédecinesocialeetpréventive Facultédemédecinedel'UniversitédeMontréal Dr.AlanDrummond,MD,CM,CCFP(EM) EmergencyPhysician MedicalDirectoroftheEmergencyDepartmentat theperthandsmithfallsdistrict Chair,PublicAffairsCommitteeofCanadian AssociationofEmergencyPhysicians DrAnnieDuchesne,Ph.D. Psychologue UniversitéduQuébecàRimouski MélanieDumont Intervenanteetformatrice CentredepréventionsuicideduKamouraska RivièreduLoup Temiscouata LesBasques DrHaroldN.Fisher ClinicalResearchPhysician AssociateVicePresident EliLillyCanada MariaFortin Coordonnatricedesdossierssantémentale,services psychosociauxgénéraux,suicideetdépendances AgencedelasantéetdesservicessociauxduBasSt Laurent DrAllanJ.Fox,MD,FRCPC,FACR ChairoftheNeuroradiologySection OntarioMedicalAssociation DrThérèseGagné,Ph.D. Psychologue CégepdeMatane NathalieGagnon Intervenantesociale Agentedeplanificationetdeprogrammationen dépendances AgencedelasantéetdesservicessociauxduBasSt Laurent FrançoisGamache,M.Ps. Directeur Centredepréventiondusuicideetd interventionde crisedubasstlaurent GaétanGauthier IntervenantServicesHommes L arrimage(réhabilitationalcoolismeet toxicomanie) CatherineGeoffrion,M.A. Responsabledesserviceséducatifscomplémentaires DirectionrégionaleduBasStLaurentetdela GaspésieÎlesdelaMadeleine DrAbelIckowicz,MD,FRCPC PsychiatristinChief HospitalforSickChildren DrBarbaraKane,MD,FRCP Psychiatrist PrinceGeorgeRegionalHospital DrAndrewW.Kirkpatrick,CD,MD,FRCSC,MHSc, FACS President TraumaAssociationofCanada CorrineLangill,RN,BScN Manager,HealthPromotionandInjuryPrevention Children'sHospitalofEasternOntario GillesLapointe Agentdeplanification,deprogrammationetde recherche AgencedelasantéetdesservicessociauxduBasSt Laurent DrSarveshLogsettyMD,FRCS(C),FACS DirectorManitobaFirefightersBurnUnitand AssociateProfessor DepartmentofSurgery,UniversityofManitoba CarolineMorin,erg. Chef L Estran(Centrerégionalréadaptationen dépendances)

5 5 EstherOtis,B.Sc.Inf. ResponsabledudossierInfoSantéetInfoSocial AgencedelasantéetdesservicessociauxduBasSt Laurent DrLouisPeltz,MD,MSc,FRCPC ChiefoftheDepartmentofPsychiatry CreditValleyHospital DrI.B.Pless,CM,MD,FRCPC,FRCPCH(Hon),FCAHS Professor Pediatrics,EpidemiologyandBiostatistics McGillUniversity EditorEmeritusInjuryPrevention DrJacquesRamsay Coroner BureauducoronerduQuébec DrTarekRazek,MDFRCSCFACS TraumaDirector AssistantProfessorofSurgery McGillUniversityHealthCentre DrSandroRizoli,MDPhDFRCSCFACS AssociateProfessorofSurgery UniversityofToronto DrRonaldD.Stewart,OC,ONS,BA,BSc,MD,DSc ProfessorofEmergencyMedicine;Professorof Anaesthesia;ProfessorEmeritusinMedical Education DalhousieUniversity,Halifax DrBrianSweeney Surgeonandassistantprofessor Children shospitalofeasternontario ClaireSylvain Directrice CégepdeRivièreduLoup CarolTremblay Directeur CentrepréventionsuicideduKamouraska Rivière duloup Temiscouata LesBasques DrMichaelVassilyadi,MD,CM,MSc,FRCS(C), FACS,FAAP AssociateProfessorofSurgeryandPediatricsand OttawaChapterDirectorforThinkFirstCanada DivisionofNeurosurgery UniversityofOttawa DrFernandTurcotte,MD,M.P.H.,FRCPC Professeuréméritedesantépubliqueetmédecine préventive Départementdemédecinesocialeetpréventive FacultédemédecineUniversitéLaval DrDonaldWasylenki,MD,FRCPC ChairoftheDepartmentofPsychiatry UniversityofToronto

6 6 1 DepartmentofJustice, FirearmsStatisticsUpdatedTable, 2006;StatisticsCanada, Mortality,Summarylistof Cause2005,March DepartmentofJustice, FirearmsStatisticsUpdatedTable, 2006;StatisticsCanada, Mortality,Summarylistof Cause2005,March DepartmentofJustice, FirearmsStatisticsUpdatedTable, 2006;StatisticsCanada, Mortality,Summarylistof Cause2005,March Canada Firearms Center, 2007 Commissioner Report, 2008; Canada Firearms Centre, Facts and Figures CanadianFirearmsProgramOctoberDecember2008, January WebsterDW,VernickJS,HepburnLM."Relationshipbetweenlicensing,registration,andothergunsaleslawsand thesourcestateofcrimeguns."injprev2001;7(3): Supreme Court of Canada, Firearms Act (Can.), [2000] 1 S.C.R. 783, The registration provisions cannot be severedfromtherestoftheact.thelicensingprovisionsrequireeveryonewhopossessesaguntobelicensed; theregistrationprovisionsrequireallgunstoberegistered.theseportionsofthefirearmsactarebothtightly linkedtoparliament sgoalofpromotingsafetybyreducingthemisuseofanyandallfirearms.bothportionsare integralandnecessarytotheoperationofthescheme.» 7 Graduate Institute for International Studies Geneva. Small Arms Survey 2006.Oxford University Press, USA; Revisededition(August3,2006) 8 RecentsupportfortheFirearmsActinclude: Reasonablecontrol:gunregistrationinCanada, CanadianMedical Association Journal (CMAJ) 168 (4), February ; Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, CAEP Position Statement on Gun Control, CJEM 2009;11(1):6472, January 2009; Canadian Association for Adolescent Health, Letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, March ; Association pour la santé publiqueduquébec LasécuritédesCanadiensmenacée:laLoicanadiennesurlecontrôledesarmesàfeuen péril, Press Release, October 30, 2009; Directrices et Directeurs régionaux de santé publique du Québec, ÉnoncédeprincipesdelasantépubliqueduQuébecauregardducontrôledesarmesàfeu, October2009; CanadianAssociationofEmergencyPhysicians, CanadianEmergencyPhysiciansopposedtorepealingtheLong GunRegistry, PressReleaseNovember9,2009.